Backroads and Ballfields: LSU Flips Catcher Caden Borcherding From Clemson
By Daniel Wilson ·
On Oct. 19, Etowah High School catcher Caden Borcherding posted "GEAUX TIGERS‼️" on X and tagged LSU's baseball accounts and coaches. With that, one of the top catchers in the 2027 class moved his commitment from Clemson to LSU, about 13 months after his original commitment.
His announcement, as quoted by TigerNet, explained the move in his own terms. "When I reopened my recruitment, I didn't know if it was a test or a blessing," Borcherding said, "but God made it clear and put me right where I'm supposed to be." He also thanked LSU coach Jay Johnson and his staff: "Thank you to Coach Jay Johnson, the entire LSU coaching staff, and the LSU community for believing in me and making me feel at home."
The First Decision
Borcherding committed to Clemson in September 2025. The Clemson Insider reported at the time that he announced it shortly after an official visit, his second. The weekend before, he had visited Alabama. Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina were all scheduled to get official visits as well.
"Coach Bakich really emphasized building a culture," he told The Clemson Insider then. After the Oct. 19 announcement, the same outlet ran his line from that first commitment: "I just felt like home when I got there."
That list of schools dates to his 2025 recruitment.
The Player
Borcherding is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound catcher who bats and throws right-handed. Perfect Game lists his hometown as Acworth, Ga. He plays at Etowah in Woodstock and travels with Team Elite. He was picked for the Perfect Game All-American Classic and ran a 6.83-second 60-yard dash at the National Showcase.
He also comes from a program that sent a player into the first round in July. Etowah outfielder Trevor Condon went 13th overall to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2026 draft. USA Today reported that Condon hit .504 as a senior and that Etowah went 33-7 and won the Georgia Class 6A title. MaxPreps lists Borcherding on that 2026 Etowah roster.
Where LSU Stands
Jay Johnson's high school recruiting class was already one of the deepest on our 2027 board before Oct. 19, and now it adds a top catcher. That class is coming to a program looking to bounce back. LSU finished 30-28 last spring and 9-21 in the SEC, and The Advocate reported that the Tigers missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.
The current Tigers are in the middle of their fall schedule. Tiger Rag reported that Johnson held intrasquad scrimmages from Oct. 8 to 18. LSU's official schedule has two exhibitions against Samford at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, Miss., on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. After that, the Tigers host Troy on Nov. 8 and Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 13 at Alex Box Stadium.
Borcherding's own timeline runs through his senior spring at Etowah. "I'm excited for what's ahead and can't wait to see what God has in store," he said. "Geaux Tigers!"